Galway champions have no answer to slick Clontarf in one-sided semi-final

Clontarf 6-9

St. Brendan’s 0-6

ALL their good fortune was used up in the previous assignment as St. Brendan’s All-Ireland intermediate ladies football championship dreams were left in tatters last Sunday as Clontarf booked a final appearance with Monaghan’s Emmet Og.

After looking so stylish and dominant in scoring goals for fun in an efficient display against Mayo’s Westport in the Connacht Final, St Brendan’s themselves were the recipients of an equally punishing barrage of scores by a rampant Clontarf outfit at Duggan Park.

Nerves played a key factor here and, despite some early chances, St. Brendan’s struggled to early. But the travelling Clontarf were in no mood to wait around as an early 1-1 from Caoimhe O’Connor was the appetiser for a torturous hour for Michael MacHale’s team.

The first attack went St. Brendan’s way but resulted in a wide and they had five missed shots recorded by the 17th minute. However, it didn’t mask over the middle third where Sarah Fagan and Niamh Hetherton dominated the opposition and ensured a strong supply to the Clontarf attack.

Clontarf ran hard and picked out space leading to an O’Connor point on two minutes. And with a good interchange of passes 60 seconds later, Aoibhe Bell and Hetherton set up O’Connor for their first goal and, in the process, set the tone for a difficult afternoon for the Galway champions.

St. Brendan’s just couldn’t find ways to penetrate Clontarf’s structure which often led to 12 players behind the ball before attacking with pace. Leann Walsh looked the only player capable of handling the Dublin outfit though Rebecca McPhilbin, Niamh Lohan and Rebecca Conway also made significant contributions.

For more,  read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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